The Takings Clause Protects Us, Not Union Dues

The Takings Clause is an essential protection located in the Fifth Amendment, which states that “private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation.” The Takings Clause protects services too, sometimes limiting the power of government to force someone to render services without just compensation. The Takings Clause does not entitle an owner of private property to recover lost profits or lost opportunities when government takes his property away, but it merely requires “just compensation” for property deprived from him.